Record NSS responses at JOMEC: How Planning, Partnership and Playfulness made it happen.

This blog is written by Phillip Harris from the Learning and Teaching Academy.

Schools work hard to encourage student engagement with the National Student Survey (NSS), but this year the School of Journalism, Media and Culture (JOMEC) stood out for all the right reasons hitting reporting threshold after just the first week, and an incredible 72.40% response rate by the end of week 2!

Their approach wasn’t complicated, but it did require dedicated effort from a small team of staff working alongside Student Experience Partners to deliver a focused campaign. Built around good timing, clear communication and visible engagement with students, the campaign quickly gained momentum.

Communication that landed

As the NSS opened, the school supported its stall activity with targeted messaging to final-year students. These were well-timed communications that helped reinforce the campaign by explaining:

• what the NSS is
• why student voice matters
• how to take part
• where and when survey stalls would be running and how to win prizes

Stalls with a difference: Spin the Wheel for Wellness

JOMEC’s success was strongly supported by its in-person activity. The School ran a series of promotional stalls in the JOMEC foyer, staffed by Student Experience Partners alongside a small Professional Services team and one supporting academic colleague. The stalls were built around a wellbeing theme and a “spin the wheel” activity, creating a visible and engaging presence during the first week of the survey.

This combination brought together energy, enthusiasm and recognisable staff faces. Importantly, these interactions built on relationships developed throughout the year through Student Experience initiatives, collaborative student events, and ongoing conversations about wellbeing and the pressures students face. As a result, many students felt comfortable approaching the stall, stopping to chat, asking questions, and completing the survey.

Staff didn’t simply stand behind the table. They got involved. They made it feel personal. Student Experience Partners commented how great it was to see staff engaging directly with students and they were thoroughly impressed with staff switching easily between Welsh and English as student crowds swarmed the stall.

Student-loved incentives (and dressing gowns!)

To keep things fun and engaging, the School introduced “star prizes” to the spinning wheel. While there were a couple of spa vouchers up for grabs, most prizes were low-budget items chosen to support student wellbeing, including energy bars, stress balls, and coffee vouchers. This selection reflected student feedback and the School’s ongoing focus on wellbeing.

Then came something truly memorable, a moment of creativity. The School’s DLT and Education Manager turned up to the stalls wearing dressing gowns and shower caps to spark curiosity and start conversations. It worked!  This eye-catching approach sparked curiosity, made people smile and encouraged students to stop and ask questions. This helped drive early, record-breaking NSS participation.

This good, humoured approach also helped break down barriers and made the stalls stand out from the more typical survey promotions across campus.

A cohesive plan, executed perfectly

JOMEC’s success didn’t hinge on one big idea. It was the result of a coherent, well-timed plan that was centred around relationship-building with students through Student Experience initiatives, collaborative events, and ongoing dialogue about wellbeing and academic pressures. The incredibly successful campaign combined visible in-person activity with strategic communications and thoughtfully designed, student-informed incentives. JOMEC’s Spin the Wheel for Wellness was:

• well-timed
• student centred
• clearly communicated
• supported by a small but dedicated team
• fun!

Finally…

JOMEC’s approach demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when a School invests time, energy, and care in its students. By building trust, creating visibility, and sustaining momentum, JOMEC showed how thoughtful planning, creativity, and student partnership can transform NSS engagement. They’ve set a fantastic example of what is possible with clear communication and a willingness to try something a little different.

If your school is interested in developing a similar engagement model or exploring approaches that fit your own context, the Learning and Teaching Academy can help. Get in touch with us at [email protected]